The present invention relates to a gripper, with highly efficient gripping power, for gripping and transporting weft threads through the shed in continuous weft feed looms.
The gripper according to the invention is a "drawing" gripper, namely a gripper designed to grasp the weft thread about half way through the shed, withdrawing it from a companion "carrying" gripper which has carried it thereto, and draw said thread up to the end of the loom opposite to the feeding end.
Generally, such drawing grippers have been made up to the present with a fixed lower member and with a movable upper hook-shaped member, adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane in respect of the fixed member. Grippers of this type insert themselves in the companion carrying-type grippers, from which the upper hook member draws the weft thread holding it, for its transport, between said upper member and the fixed lower member. The movable hook-shaped member is generally pivoted on a horizontal axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gripper, and is pressed by spring means against the fixed member.
Although the conventional drawing grippers work in a fairly satisfactory way, they have some drawbacks concerning the safety in gripping the weft thread, at the moment of drawing the same from the carrying gripper, and concerning the gripping efficiency during subsequent transport of said thread. It is hence desirable to produce grippers which may prevent such drawbacks and improve the performance of looms equipped therewith.